6 Ways to Improve Digestion

Digestive problems have been a common trouble. It’s not only bad for the stomach, having a poor digestive system influences the entire body negatively. It starts showing on your skin in the form of acne and wrinkles; and gives your face an un-fresh look. It weakens the bones and muscles; which causes difficulty in movements. Poor digestion also effects the brain and hormones; it effects your mood, concentration levels, sleep patterns and your state of mind. Along with these things, if your digestive system is not working up to the mark, you can have problems in reproductive organs; which include irregular menstruation and low sex drive among other things. Here are some tips to improve your digestion.

1. Fiber

“Fiber is your friend” they say. They are right. “A high-fiber diet helps keep food moving through your digestive tract, making you less likely to get constipated,” says Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RD, a registered dietitian in Marblehead. It also helps prevent diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome and other bowel related problems. Fiber makes you full faster and also prevents you from over eating. It gives your brain the signal of ‘fullness’, hence you don’t stuff yourself with unnecessary food.

2. Broth

Grandma always got us a bowl of warm broth or yakhni every time we fell sick. Broth is loaded with nutrients, amino acid proline and gut soothing gelatin. It soothes the digestive tract and improves absorption of nutrients. That is why it is always good to have some soup as an appetizer before a meal. Also if you add a good amount of vegetables to your soup, you are doing yourself a fovor by having broth and fiber in the same meal!

3. Ginger Tea

We often take ginger tea for throat ailments, turns out it’s also great for your tummy. Ginger prevents cramping in the abdomen by relaxing the smooth muscles of your abdomen. Ginger also stimulates saliva, bile and other digestive enzymes to help quicker digestion of food and an increased rate of metabolism. You can make ginger tea by adding a tea spoon of grated ginger in one cup of water and boil it for a while. You can also make some in bulk and sip it all day.

4. Chew Properly

The process of digestion starts in our mouth. Mechanical digestion is extremely important for good digestion. One must take a while and chew well on food before swallowing. Don’t gobble your food. This practice should be inculcated in children from childhood.

5. Apple Cider Vinegar

Before a meal, having one table spoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of room temperature water increases the acidity slightly; making digestion better. ACV is also great for cutting down fat.

6. Probiotics

Sounds complicated, but it’s really not. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your digestive health. These bacteria are important to keep your digestive system working. Yogurt is a great source of probiotics, one of the best! This is why it is recommended to eat yogurt during stomach problems. Sour pickles are also rich in probiotics.